Our Rating

4.5/5

Suzuki Swift Sport first drive

Introduction Since it landed on UK shores the Suzuki Swift Sport has become one of the best loved cars in the sector. This latest iteration offers crisp

Introduction Since it landed on UK shores the Suzuki Swift Sport has become one of the best loved cars in the sector. This latest iteration offers crisp handling and lots of fun, at a price that is not going to break the bank. It may not be as classy on the inside as some of the rivals, or have as much power, but at under 14k this is a bargain. Read on to find out why you should take a look at the Suzuki Swift Sport. Performance 4.0/5 The Suzuki Swift Sport is powered by a 136bhp 1.6-litre engine producing 160Nm of torque - this means that you can complete the benchmark sprint to 62mph in 8.7 seconds and it will to go on to a top speed of 121mph. The feisty little power plant is mated to a direct six-speed manual gearbox. Overtaking slower vehicles is reasonably simple, just knock the gears down to fourth or even third for that extra bit of oomph and you should have no trouble making short work of traffic. Ride & Handling 5.0/5 Performance from the 136bhp 1.6-litre engine is good but it's the chassis that makes the difference. The Swift Sport shows you that you don't need a bucket load of power to have fun. It is all about cornering and traction when exiting bends, this is where this car excels while it is also very comfortable on the motorway at the national limit. The Swift Sport is hugely rewarding when driving enthusiastically. Grip levels when cornering would put more expensive rivals to shame - the Swift Sport is a giant killer when it comes to tackling twisty B roads. Practicality 3.5/5 For a car that costs less than 14K, comfort levels are surprisingly good. Up front the seats offer a decent level of lumbar support while the sides are high enough to hem you in when driving enthusiastically. One of the biggest downsides is the small fuel tank - even when you are driving sensibly the 42litre capacity means that trips to the petrol station are a regular occurrence. The Swift Sport has a load space of 211 litres with the seats in place and when folded this expands to 512 litres of space. Unfortunately the boot is one of the smallest in the class but there is enough room to stow the weekly shop or a couple of soft bags for a weekend away. Running Costs 4.5/5 The entry price for the Swift Sport starts from £13,749. Emissions come out at 147g/km putting the Swift Sport in VED band F and if you are a company car driver the sporty Swift is in a BiK rate of 20%. Fuel economy is good - official figures claim 44.1mpg so expect to get around the high 30s mark. The Swift Sport comes with automatic aircon, fog lamps, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity, HID projector headlamps with headlamp wash, rear privacy glass, ESP and seven airbags fitted as standard. Motortorque Verdict 4.5/5 With a price tag of £13,749, it is a no-brainer to put the Suzuki Swift Sport on your test drive list. It may not have an up-market interior like some rivals and the plastics may be a little drab but forget about that, go and test drive this car on a B road and you will understand why we rate it so highly. The Swift Sport gets better with every generation and is easily the best car that Suzuki has ever made.